Newbie asking help....

[SoulBlazer]

Just got the game a few days ago and am really enjoying it, but there's some things I just can't figure out that the manual either does'nt explain or is too much for me to understand.

1) Does having a Patrol group at a airbase count to that bases limit? Example, at the start of the game, Buna only has a airfield of 1. Could I base both a patrol and a fighter squadron there without suffering the 'over %50 of limit' penalty? And for a base like Giri Giri, which is at 0, can a patrol squadron safley be based there?

2) How do you manage to 'take over' all of those colored dots on the map? In a eariler game I tried moving in some units to one of the red (hostile) dots, which indluded a Eng unit, and even though I was right THERE, it did'nt change.

3)For that matter, how can you construct a new base out of a spot like that?

4)Sometimes when trying to move a air squadron, the damages planes are 'broken off' and left behind. Will these automaticaly rejoin their squadron when they are fixed, or do I need to manualy do that? And if so, how do I join them back up?

5) I understand you can base patrol craft out of those 'dot' spots, like Catalinas, that are pontoon based. But how do you keep them supplied?

6) Speaking of supplies, how can you set up one of those automatic, computer controled, supply runs from a front line spot to a base in the rear?

[Grotius]

I'm kind of a newbie myself, but since no one else has answered, I can take a stab at a couple:

1. Dunno

2. You must have infantry with some 'assault' rating greater than zero in order to 'attack' and 'take over' any unfriendly beach, even one that is unoccupied. I found this out the hard way myself! Keep your engineers there; you'll need them to build your base. In the meantime, load up an infantry unit, deposit it on the beach, and order it to 'deliberately attack'.

3. As I said above, once your infantry claims the beach as 'yours,' you can start building a beach with your engineers. In my experience, you need about 30 engineers (or more) to make any progress. Also, I'm not sure it becomes a 'base' until you build either an airstrip or a port. (Not sure if fortifications count. I know they don't count toward victory points, whereas ports and especially airbases do.)

4. I think splintered air units are rejoined automatically.

5. Dunno.

6. To make a 'routine convoy,' create a transport TF, put a couple transports in it, select a destination and load some supplies, then click 'human control' til it changes to 'routine convoy.' (Sometimes it changes to 'computer control,' which puzzles me.) I think that's how you do it, but I confess that sometimes it doesn't work for me.

Your questions bring to mind a question of my own: how does one know which planes can be "upgraded"?

[Toro]

1. yes, all a/c at a base count against the limit. However, float planes can be "supported" via AVs or CSs, too. You'll note a "+x" after the a/c limit if there's one of these types of ships there helping out.

2. Grotius has it. You need a ground unit with an assault value, then "attack" the base. It'll be yours next turn. Note, the enemy will know that, too.

3. Once the base is yours, you can move base forces or engineers there to construct ports, airfields, and fortifications. Note that without proper support, a ground unit will start getting smaller (folks running off or dying from disease), so an engineer off in the wild may stop engineering (become ineffective). Rotate them where possible.

4. Two answers: if a CV air group, when the CV becomes operational again (ie, damage is lower than 50), they'll automatically join the carrier. If the carrier is sunk, they're yours to do with how you like. If LBA, they'll try to rejoin as long as you don't move the parent group too far away (I have noted some exceptions). Generally, I move a group, let all the subgroups catch up, then move it again, etc. But, if they don't, you can always tell them to go to the base where the parent is, and it'll join automatically. (Some policing is required here, I've noticed.)

5. First, send supplies. Generally do this first by sending an AP there with 1000 or 2000 supplies. Second, the supplies ain't for the aircraft, but for the AV you have to send to tender the a/c. Pick an AV with the capacity to handle the group (or two AVs, or three... whatever it takes), and home port it at the forward base. Send an escort if you want, but don't make the TF too big, or it'll be seen by scout a/c. Usually, I send them alone or with a PC/DD. Note, the AV should be a "transport TF" not an air attack one. When the AV gets there, it'll start using the supplies and keep the a/c running. Send follow-up supplies if needed.

6. I haven't checked this since 1.4, but I believe continuous supply routes (CS:xxx) need to be started from Noumea/BB/Truk. Form your TF there, click on the option "human control" and it'll become computer/continuous, then select your destination. The line will change to "CS:Luganville" or something such. If you don't supply a destination, the TF will supply the base that it feels needs it most.

Hope that helps.

[Grotius]

Toro,

Ah, I didn't even know what "CS" was: continuous supply. So CS always goes to the destination I select, whereas Routine Convoys go to the computer's choice of most needy destination. Got it.

Do you know of any way to scroll thru screens with hot keys or arrow keys or anything? I know about the hotkeys that bring up screens (A, B, N, P, etc.), but ouch, my hand hurts from all the clicking *within* screens. Especially those aircraft screens. I tend to check a/c almost every turn for fatigue and to rotate them. Ouch.

[Toro]

No, don't know a quick way. The method I use to reduce some clicking is to click on the base, then use the icons at the page bottom to quickly select the a/c type I'm interested in. I also use the "all (type a/c) in hex" command a bunch. If one squadron is really fatigued, often the others are too. Then, I can adjust individuals as I see fit.

I'm definitely wearing out my mouse, though...

[Grotius]

Yep, I do the same; use the a/c icons at the bottom of the base screen, and try to make the most of the "set all" commands. Unfortunately, I like to rotate a mix of fighters (for example) so that I don't have all my best or worst flying CAP/escort at the same time. So I can't just say "set all fighter-bombers in this hex to rest", since I want some of them to fly and want others to rest. Oh well.

Great game! But my arthritic hands would love some more keyboard hotkeys -- especially arrow keys to navigate within TF, A/C mission, and base menus.